Blue and Green
by homesweethomicide13
Summary: When he really thought about it, both their eyes were shades of the ocean. Jarda slash.


**Title:** Blue and Green  
**Author:** homesweethomicide13  
**Rating:** T  
**Pairing:** Jarda  
**Warning:** Slash  
**Disclaimer:** Do I really need to remind you? They're not mine.  
**Summary:** When he really thought about it, both their eyes were shades of the ocean.

**Author's Note:** Okay, for this one I actually tried to keep the dialogue how Ms Emily Rodda intended (so no abbreviations etc), which was actually rather difficult considering I don't normally do it XD I also attempted to keep them both in character (as best I could, considering the topic), so I'd like to know if I managed that or not. This is quite a cute one, I think, so... enjoy!

**Blue and Green**

Doom sat upon the pier at the most southern point of Del's beach, staring out into the ocean beyond. There was a slight, cold breeze that whipped around him, blowing a loose lock of hair into his face. He lifted a hand to tuck the rogue lock behind his ear, clicking his tongue in annoyance when it slipped easily back across his face. Scowling, he pulled the rest of his hair out of the tie it had been kept in and redid the rough ponytail at the nape of his neck.

A wave crashed against the pier and showered him with foamy droplets of water, which he brushed from the sleeves of his leather jacket without much thought. He'd been sat on the pier, lost in thought, for a good few hours. He was thinking about the lands across the sea, and the possible adventures they could give him. He was quickly tiring of the peace here in Deltora. It would probably sound absurd to anyone else, but he longed for some danger, some _action_, to keep him occupied. Lief, Jasmine and the others may be enjoying the peace, but to him it was just _boring_.

"You will get cold if you sit there for too long." The familiar barking voice surprised him, and he turned to see Barda standing not far from him, hands in the deep pockets of sand-coloured shorts. Doom's eyes scanned him over in surprise – he had never seen Barda in such casual wear. Certainly, in shorts and a sleeveless black shirt, Barda looked right at home among the other men, women and children upon the beach, but it was not something Doom was used to. "Not to mention soaked." Barda added when another wave slammed against the pier. Doom said nothing and turned to look back out over the ocean. He heard Barda walk over; felt the wooden boards that made up the pier tremble with every step. "What are you doing out here?"

"I could ask you the same question." Doom replied quietly. "You do not seem the type to enjoy the beach, Barda." The big man laughed quietly.

"Oh, I most certainly do not, but I am afraid your daughter would not hear it." Doom looked up at him in surprise. "Jasmine absolutely insisted that we spend the day at the beach." Doom leaned forward to look around Barda and spotted Lief, Jasmine and Marilen splashing in the shallows not far away. He watched them with a smile, enjoying the antics of their youth. "It is beautiful, is it not?" He snapped his attention back to Barda, who was staring out at the ocean. "A shimmering wonder of the earth, so huge and powerful. How can something so beautiful be so deadly, one might wonder?" Doom smiled.

"Danger often hides behind the mask of beauty." He replied. Barda sat down beside him, letting his legs hang over the edge of the pier, his feet in the water. "You should know this all too well, Barda. You have seen Jasmine at work." They laughed together for a moment, before it fell silent again. Doom slyly glanced sideways at Barda, who was still staring out into the ocean, the rich colour reflected beautifully in his eyes. He'd never really paid much attention to Barda's eyes, but now he saw just how blue they were. He'd once said that Lief's eyes were like the sky – and if that was true, then Barda's were like the ocean, deep and dark but at the same time so rich and beautiful. As he stared, mesmerized, he remembered someone else who'd had the same gorgeous eyes.

"May I ask as to why you are staring at me, Doom?" Barda asked with a smirk. Doom lowered his eyes for a moment, but they quickly returned to Barda's face.

"You have your mother's eyes." The statement erased the smirk on Barda's face and he frowned slightly. Doom flushed when he realized he'd said that out loud, and quickly averted his gaze. "Just an observation." He muttered. He didn't see the smile that crossed Barda's face.

"It is a correct one." He replied softly. "I am surprised you remember." Doom sighed.

"I doubt I could forget such striking eyes. I often complimented her on them whilst I was still under her care." He glanced at Barda and saw that the other man was grinning. A calm, peaceful silence fell between them once again as their thoughts drifted off in different directions. Whilst Doom's thoughts lingered on Barda's eyes, Barda's thoughts went to his mother, the kind woman who never said a bad word about anyone.

"What colour is the ocean, truly?" Barda suddenly asked. Doom looked at him before looking back to the water, and he shrugged.

"It can be any colour, I suppose. At night it is black, at dawn it is a cloudy grey-blue." He smiled. "During the day, when the sun is high, it is the bluest of blue, which becomes a deep green in the evening." Barda turned to grin at him.

"Green like your eyes, perhaps?" Doom was startled at the question and he turned to stare at Barda in surprise. "I have not seen a green as sharp as yours before, Doom, save for Jasmine's. They are greener, indeed, then the Emerald at Lief's waist." Before Doom could say anything, there was a shout from the beach, and Barda turned to look over at where Doom assumed Lief and Jasmine had set up. He sighed. "Ah, they probably want to torture me some more by making me join in with their games." He laughed. "I spotted a Frisbee among their things, and I do not relish the idea of being on the end of one of Lindal's throws." Doom smirked.

"Ah, Lindal has joined you, has she?" He saw Barda's quick smile and almost laughed. The big man couldn't be more obvious about his true feelings for the fierce woman. "Then perhaps I should leave you to it. You will be wanting to spend more time with her, I have no doubt." Barda frowned, and a look of confusion spread across his face.

"What is that supposed to mean?" He questioned. Doom raised his eyebrows and held up a hand.

"Well, nothing, really. I just assumed that since the two of you are rather close, then you might be…" He trailed off when Barda started laughing.

"Oh, Doom that is wonderful! Lindal and I… together? You could not be more wrong." He grinned. "Lindal is a close friend, of course, but that is as far as it goes between us. She has her sights set on someone else, though I have sworn secrecy and I do not want to feel her wrath should I tell someone else, and as for me, well…" He shook his head quickly. "Never mind." Now Doom was curious.

"No, go on. Do you have a lady in mind?" He had no doubt that there were plenty for Barda to choose from – they were practically lining up in the streets. A man of Barda's status was apparently very popular among the single women, especially a man in a smart, blue uniform.

"Not exactly." Doom regarded Barda's sly smirk with curiosity. "Perhaps you are assuming the wrong thing once again, Doom." He stood up, dripping water onto the pier. "I shall let you think on that one." Barda turned and began walking back down the pier, leaving behind a stunned Doom. The scarred man quickly added everything up and realization hit him. He jumped to his feet and ran to catch up with Barda.

"Are you saying that you have a… a _man_ in mind?" He hissed, shocked. Barda met his eyes and smirked.

"Oh yes. A very fine one, too. He is a mysterious one, with a kind heart hidden behind a tough exterior." Barda made to walk off, but stopped at the last moment and turned to face Doom once again. His smirk became a warm smile, and he lowered his gaze to the wooden pier. "Oh, and he has the most stunning green eyes I have ever seen." He walked away then, leaving Doom standing on the pier, staring at his retreating back with a look of utmost surprise on his face.

Why had Barda said that? Was it true? He couldn't understand what had just happened. In less than a minute he'd learnt that Barda was not only into men, but into _him_. But what had shocked him more was the fact that he wasn't exactly disgusted by the idea. In fact, he didn't actually mind it at all. It even felt sort of… nice. He hadn't been loved by anyone since Anna, and likewise he had not loved anyone else. He had forgotten what it felt like to be loved, and although Barda hadn't actually said it, the meaning behind his words was clear. He gazed over at his friends and family, smiling as he saw Lief and Jasmine drag Barda down to the water, Marilen in tow. He even laughed when Barda broke free of their grasp and made a run for it, bolting back up to where Sharn, Lindal and Ranesh sat on blankets further up on the beach.

He made his way over, thinking that maybe it wasn't such a bad idea to spend some time with those closest to him, especially if he was thinking about leaving on some adventure across the sea. He got there just in time to see Lindal tackle Barda to the ground, pinning him there whilst Marilen stripped off his shirt. Doom stopped short when Lindal tugged Barda up once again, and he brushed the sand from his bare chest. Doom's eyes traced Barda's body with pure amazement – he was wonderfully in shape, probably from the training he put himself through every day, and his skin was a beautiful light tan, a result of the years he spent trailing across Deltora. He realized he was staring and quickly averted his eyes, trying to ignore the beautiful man standing not far from him.

"Doom, will you join us?" He lifted his head and met the stunning blue eyes of Barda, who grinned at him when their eyes locked. Doom swallowed hard and ignored the strange fluttery feeling in his stomach. "I would rather that there was somebody saner than these young hotheads down there with us." He laughed as Lief threw a handful of sand at him. "And besides, it could be fun." Barda's grin was so dazzling, and Doom had to remind himself to breathe properly.

"O-okay." Barda's grin widened and he held out his hand.

"Then let's go." Doom lifted his hand and hesitated for a moment before slipping it into Barda's. The moment his fingertips touched Barda's palm, he felt a spark of electricity course through him. His eyes had never left Barda's, and he saw the sparkle of happiness in the other man's eyes. Barda's hand closed around his own and he suddenly found himself being tugged forward. Lief, Jasmine and Marilen ran after them, laughing and smiling, carrying the Frisbee.

Barda only let go of Doom's hand when they reached the water, and he splashed into the shallows, beckoning for Doom to follow. Doom looked himself over and sighed, quickly shedding his jacket. He sat down on the sand to take off his boots and roll up the bottoms of his trousers, and he smirked when he saw Barda standing in the water, hands on his hips, waiting impatiently for him to finish. He stood up once he was done, and was about to join Barda in the water when he saw the big man shaking his head.

"Now, now Doom, you cannot go into the water like that." He walked over and grabbed the bottom of Doom's shirt, tugging it upwards in one fluid motion. Doom slipped out of it easily and Barda threw it down on top of his jacket before grabbing Doom's hand and pulling him into the water. Barda let go of Doom and jumped up to catch the Frisbee that Lief had thrown towards them. He grinned and threw it back, and Doom watched as Jasmine sprang up to catch it. He smiled and watched the plastic item get tossed between the three younger ones, forgetting momentarily about Barda. He suddenly found himself waist-deep in water, with Barda standing over him, laughing.

"Very funny Barda." Doom tried to sound serious, but he couldn't stop the smile from spreading across his face. "Now let me up so I can kick you into next week." Barda laughed and held out his hand, and Doom grabbed hold of it, but instead of allowing Barda to help him up, he tugged Barda down into the water with him. "Revenge." He laughed as Barda sat up in the water next to him.

"You will pay for that, _Jarred_." Barda smirked, getting up and kicking water at Doom before wading further out. Doom jumped up and followed him, intent on payback. He quickly ducked under the water and swam over to where Barda was standing chest-deep in the ocean, a plan forming in his mind. He grabbed hold of Barda's legs and tugged him under the water with him. Barda clutched Doom's shoulders once he was under the water, and met his eyes. Doom felt a stirring in his stomach and, without quite knowing why, he leant forward, tilting his head slightly. Barda pulled him further forward and their lips met.

Doom was hesitant at first – after all, not only was he kissing another man, but he was kissing _Barda_ – but after a moment or two he melted into Barda's warm embrace and allowed the other man to deepen the kiss. Fingers tangled themselves in his hair, and an arm snaked around his waist, a hand resting on the small of his back. He slid his own arms around Barda's neck, interlocking their bodies as they slowly sank further into the water.

They kissed until they both felt the need for air, and they parted and swam up, both gasping the moment their heads broke the surface. Their eyes met and Barda smiled, and slowly Doom returned the smile. He lifted one hand from under the water and reached out to touch Barda's cheek, a silent message that Barda instantly understood. His smile widened into a grin.

"Having fun, boys?" They both jumped slightly and turned to look over at the beach, where they could see their friends lined up, watching them. Doom blushed and ducked beneath the water in embarrassment, whilst Barda just laughed. He ducked under and gave Doom a quick kiss before pulling him back up to the surface, taking his hand beneath the water and leading him back to the beach. He let Doom's hand go the moment they left the water so no one would know they had been holding hands.

"We were trying to see which of us could hold their breath the longest." He told their friends. "Turns out, we are both pretty good at it." He turned and winked at Doom, who tried not to laugh.

"Right, well Lief needs to get back to the palace, but you two can stay here if you want." Sharn smiled at them. The others may not have seen it, but she had clearly seen the two men holding hands earlier.

"I think that would be best. It is rare for Doom to actually relax like this." Barda grinned. "We will return to the palace later." Barda waited until they'd seen their friends off before turning to Doom. "So what now?" Doom instantly knew Barda wasn't asking what they should do next. He knew that Barda meant what was to become of this new level of closeness between them.

"I do not know." He sighed. "This… is all so new to me." Barda put a hand on his arm and smiled.

"Surely there is something, though? After that kiss…" Doom's grin cut him off.

"That was certainly something, Barda. I… I have not loved anyone since Anna. I do not know if I can…" Barda tugged him forward quickly, silencing him with a kiss. Doom once again felt himself melt into Barda, arms snaking around the other man's waist automatically. When they broke apart, he gazed into Barda's ocean-coloured eyes and smiled. "But I can certainly try." Barda smiled.

"I can wait until you know for sure." He murmured. "I do not want to rush you into anything." Doom put a finger to his lips and his smile widened.

"I did not mean that, Barda." He shrugged. "I want to try… with you." The grin that spread across Barda's face was beautiful.

*

They returned to the pier and sat there enjoying each other's company for a good few hours. It was often silent between them, since no words were needed, and in the early evening, Barda gazed at the ocean and smiled.

"The ocean is turning green, just like you said." He murmured softly. Doom smiled also. "Though it will never be as green as your eyes." Doom put his hand on Barda's thigh and tilted his head to rest it on Barda's shoulder.

"I once thought your eyes were the colour of the ocean, Barda." He said quietly. "But I was wrong. The ocean can never be that blue." Barda leant his head against Doom's and covered Doom's hand with his own. To him, this was perfect bliss. He felt Doom shiver beneath him and realized that it was starting to get cold.

"Come on, we should head back to somewhere a touch warmer." He stood up and held out his hand to help Doom up. The scarred man grabbed his shirt, jacket and boots and started to walk down the pier, Barda in tow, carrying his own shirt. Barda walked quietly at Doom's side, contemplating whether or not he should take Doom's hand. Doom decided for him, however, and slipped his hand into Barda's.

Before they left the beach, Barda turned to face Doom and quickly captured his lips in a kiss that left Doom feeling weak at the knees. How could Barda do that to him with a single kiss? He figured he knew the answer to that question, but he wanted to be sure before he voiced it aloud. He had a feeling, however, that Barda already knew what he wanted to say. The palace guard chief pulled Doom into an embrace and whispered three words into his hair.

"I love you."

Silently, Doom said those three words back.


End file.
